Choosing comp ribs

mikerobes · 07-17-2011, 03:59 PM

When choosing spare ribs to cut down to St Louis for a comp, What am I looking for? Less marbling/fat? My thought is that the more marbling or fat, that they will render way down off the bone a not leave a lot of meat.I don't have a good supplier either, so my best bet may be the green label IBP's from Sam's. Any advice will help
Thanks Mike

chambersuac · 07-17-2011, 04:42 PM

Sorry, no advice from me, but I'm leaving a comment, so I can read other folk's advice. I hope you find the info you need/want.

redneck cooker · 07-17-2011, 05:18 PM

IDK, if they are available to you, but Hormel 1845's are great ribs for comp. They are already cut to St Louis, and cook up great.....

boogiesnap · 07-17-2011, 07:56 PM

straight bones. even meat across the rack. good marbling. no shiners(bones you can see fom the top of the rack). 2.5 to 3.5#'s. if you cook more than one rack(highly suggested)keep them as close to the same weight as possible.

gmholler · 07-17-2011, 09:41 PM

I second the straight bones, good marbling, and no shiners. I'd prefer even meat across the rack, but more often than not I've got to settle for meat concentrated one one side of the rack or closer to the middle - I try to get ones with the meat in the middle, as I know I likely won't be turning in the end pieces. But one thing that has been a problem lately that I haven't been able to see when choosing ribs is those with those little bits of cartlidge (sp?)(is that what it is? What do you call them?) that seem to run parallel to the rack - it seems they always show up once the meat is cooked and shrinking up a bit - I don't know if those are just found here in this area of LA and TX, or what.

Lynn.

boogiesnap · 07-17-2011, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmholler

I second the straight bones, good marbling, and no shiners. I'd prefer even meat across the rack, but more often than not I've got to settle for meat concentrated one one side of the rack or closer to the middle - I try to get ones with the meat in the middle, as I know I likely won't be turning in the end pieces. But one thing that has been a problem lately that I haven't been able to see when choosing ribs is those with those little bits of cartlidge (sp?)(is that what it is? What do you call them?) that seem to run parallel to the rack - it seems they always show up once the meat is cooked and shrinking up a bit - I don't know if those are just found here in this area of LA and TX, or what.

Lynn.

are you trimming st. louis style?

this is a given for competition spares. no cartilidge.

Crash · 07-18-2011, 05:54 AM

+1 on the straight bones. We've been having a lot of trouble finding them out here.

We prefer a zebra striped pattern (fat to meat......best example I could come up with) on the bone side of the racks. We can't notice that "zebra striped" rack until we get them out of the cryovac though. It's an iffy buy at best.

If you get strange stares and comments while looking over the spares, you're doing it right.

GreenDrake · 07-18-2011, 06:46 AM

I pick them over, looking for even marbling, smaller slice looking fat cells, straight ribs, even distribution of meat/bone and none of the really wide curved bones in them. I like to trim them up myself, lets me do the rib tips the night before to try out my sauce and rubs, share with friends, etc. The last pack I did was Prairie Fresh, they trimmed up real nice, sliced well, cooked evenly and were overall a good choice in my opinion.

Rich Parker · 07-18-2011, 06:49 AM

Hey Mike - I have the wife pick up a three pack of ibp from Sam's and go with it. Seeya in GR!

billm · 07-18-2011, 07:58 AM

i pretty much look for straight bones as well...as far as Hormel I know around my area anything Hormel is going to be enhanced meat so i shy away from it..

BTW great avatar..listened to that on the drive in today as a matter of fact

mikerobes · 07-18-2011, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Parker

Hey Mike - I have the wife pick up a three pack of ibp from Sam's and go with it. Seeya in GR!

That seems like my only choice Rich. Meijers and WalMart's Ribs look horrible to me. I'm going to look at one more market, then IBP's it is
See ya in GR buddy
Mike

Bbqin fool · 07-18-2011, 10:52 AM

How can you tell if the bones art straight? I've bought quite a few and once I start trimming I've found that even though I thought they were straight they weren't

boogiesnap · 07-18-2011, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bbqin fool

How can you tell if the bones art straight? I've bought quite a few and once I start trimming I've found that even though I thought they were straight they weren't

look closer at the bottoms.

shuboy88 · 07-18-2011, 03:48 PM

I have found the st. louis 3 and downs at GFS are pretty good. they have been cut so all are straight and all ribs are equal. membrance already pulled. they usually come out good.

gmholler · 07-18-2011, 09:49 PM

Yes, I'm doing St. Louis style. I don't know what to call what I'm trying to describe - maybe pin bones? Tendon bones? They're little clearish pieces that stick out - you don't see them until after cooking the ribs. We never used to have those, but in the ribs we've gotten in about the last 6 months, regardless of who we bought them from, they've been there. They're a pain to trim off.

Lynn.

07-17-2011, 03:59 PM	#1
mikerobes Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 07-11-11 Location: Durand,MI Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Choosing comp ribs When choosing spare ribs to cut down to St Louis for a comp, What am I looking for? Less marbling/fat? My thought is that the more marbling or fat, that they will render way down off the bone a not leave a lot of meat.I don't have a good supplier either, so my best bet may be the green label IBP's from Sam's. Any advice will help Thanks Mike __________________ Smokin' In The D BBQ Team Durand,MI Southern Q Gravity Fed Cabinet Smoker Sometimes It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission I like to sit down and have a quiet beer, then several noisy ones

07-17-2011, 04:42 PM	#2
chambersuac somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-02-09 Location: Manito, IL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Sorry, no advice from me, but I'm leaving a comment, so I can read other folk's advice. I hope you find the info you need/want. __________________ Dan Large BGE x 2, Small BGE, Big Steel Keg, WSM, 22" Weber Kettle, Charmglow Gasser, The Holy Smoked UDS and her sister UDS, and one custom trailer-ed smoker. The universe's fastest and most accurate Thermapen. (Replaced by Brethren) IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball maker Thanks, Grillman, for the avatar! And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. [Acts 20:32 KJV]

07-17-2011, 05:18 PM	#3
redneck cooker On the road to being a farker Join Date: 04-10-11 Location: Glen Rose TX Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	IDK, if they are available to you, but Hormel 1845's are great ribs for comp. They are already cut to St Louis, and cook up great..... __________________ R&O Custom Offset...It rocks!!! www.redneckcooker.com

07-17-2011, 07:56 PM	#4
boogiesnap Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-22-10 Location: NEW ENGLAND Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	straight bones. even meat across the rack. good marbling. no shiners(bones you can see fom the top of the rack). 2.5 to 3.5#'s. if you cook more than one rack(highly suggested)keep them as close to the same weight as possible. __________________ S'mo Q Competition BBQ Team Q so good you gotta have s'mo. Sponsored by Oakridge BBQ twin WSM 22.5's 48" DCS gasser certified MOINK baller farkanaut in training avatar by grillman CLICK HERE to visit the BBQ Brethren Throwdowns

07-18-2011, 05:54 AM	#7
Crash is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-29-08 Location: Kailua, HI (Oahu) Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	+1 on the straight bones. We've been having a lot of trouble finding them out here. We prefer a zebra striped pattern (fat to meat......best example I could come up with) on the bone side of the racks. We can't notice that "zebra striped" rack until we get them out of the cryovac though. It's an iffy buy at best. If you get strange stares and comments while looking over the spares, you're doing it right. __________________ Crash - HIBarbeque.com

07-17-2011, 09:41 PM	#5
gmholler On the road to being a farker Join Date: 04-15-09 Location: Lafayette, LA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I second the straight bones, good marbling, and no shiners. I'd prefer even meat across the rack, but more often than not I've got to settle for meat concentrated one one side of the rack or closer to the middle - I try to get ones with the meat in the middle, as I know I likely won't be turning in the end pieces. But one thing that has been a problem lately that I haven't been able to see when choosing ribs is those with those little bits of cartlidge (sp?)(is that what it is? What do you call them?) that seem to run parallel to the rack - it seems they always show up once the meat is cooked and shrinking up a bit - I don't know if those are just found here in this area of LA and TX, or what. Lynn.

07-18-2011, 06:46 AM	#8
GreenDrake is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 06-21-10 Location: Hayden, Idaho Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I pick them over, looking for even marbling, smaller slice looking fat cells, straight ribs, even distribution of meat/bone and none of the really wide curved bones in them. I like to trim them up myself, lets me do the rib tips the night before to try out my sauce and rubs, share with friends, etc. The last pack I did was Prairie Fresh, they trimmed up real nice, sliced well, cooked evenly and were overall a good choice in my opinion. __________________ PNWBA - Hayden, Idaho http://www.facebook.com/BC2BBQ

07-18-2011, 06:49 AM	#9
Rich Parker Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-20-09 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Hey Mike - I have the wife pick up a three pack of ibp from Sam's and go with it. Seeya in GR! __________________ WSM and UDS - iBQ'n BBQ Team owner TheBBQSuperstore.com

07-18-2011, 07:58 AM	#10
billm is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 03-08-06 Location: Roselle Il Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	i pretty much look for straight bones as well...as far as Hormel I know around my area anything Hormel is going to be enhanced meat so i shy away from it.. BTW great avatar..listened to that on the drive in today as a matter of fact __________________ --Average consumers replenish their supply of barbecue sauce every 54 days. Source: ACNielsen, as reported in American Demographics, Backwoods Party Backwoods Chubby Brinkmann Cimmarron Offset Weber 26.75 inch Kettle & Summit Gold gasser Cypriot Grill & Optimal Automatics Party Que http://www.headsredbbq.com

07-18-2011, 10:52 AM	#12
Bbqin fool is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-25-11 Location: Ruther Glen, VA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	How can you tell if the bones art straight? I've bought quite a few and once I start trimming I've found that even though I thought they were straight they weren't __________________ Big Green Egg XL, UDS, Bubbagrill 250R "The Other Wife" Extremely Durable, Fast and Amazingly Accurate Maverick Pro Temp PT-100 Thermometer & ET-732 Found new homes: Modded Brinkmann SNP(it's finally holding temp!), 18.5" Weber kettle

07-18-2011, 03:48 PM	#14
shuboy88 Got rid of the matchlight. Join Date: 07-17-11 Location: Seymour, IN Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	nice comp ribs I have found the st. louis 3 and downs at GFS are pretty good. they have been cut so all are straight and all ribs are equal. membrance already pulled. they usually come out good.

07-18-2011, 09:49 PM	#15
gmholler On the road to being a farker Join Date: 04-15-09 Location: Lafayette, LA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Yes, I'm doing St. Louis style. I don't know what to call what I'm trying to describe - maybe pin bones? Tendon bones? They're little clearish pieces that stick out - you don't see them until after cooking the ribs. We never used to have those, but in the ribs we've gotten in about the last 6 months, regardless of who we bought them from, they've been there. They're a pain to trim off. Lynn.

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